NEW DELHI: Indian students, including overseas citizens of India are advised not to travel to Pakistan for higher education. The higher education regulators University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in a joint notification on Friday stated that such candidates will not be eligible for employment or higher studies in India thereafter. However, this is not applicable to migrants granted citizenship in India.

In the public notice issued on Friday it is stated that “All concerned are advised not to travel to Pakistan for pursuing Higher Education. Any Indian national/ Overseas Citizen of India who intends to take admission in any degree college/ educational institution of Pakistan shall not be eligible for seeking employment or higher studies in India on the basis of such educational qualifications (in any subject) acquired in Pakistan.”

It further added, “However, migrants and their children who have acquired higher education degree in Pakistan and have been awarded citizenship by India would be eligible for seeking employment in India after obtaining Security Clearance from MHA.”
The latest advisory comes less than a month after the regulatory authorities warned Indian students against studying in China.

According to Anil Sahasrabudhe, chairperson, AICTE, India students need to advised to which institutions and countries they should travel for education so that they won’t land up with degree without parity with Indian regulations.

“Parents and students should not waste their hard earned money in pursuing something which won’t have parity in India. We have seen similar cases with other countries as well including Ukraine and China. That is one of the reason for this advisory,” said Sahasrabudhe.

However, on the issue of citizens awarded citizenship by India becoming eligible for employment, Sahasrabudhe said that education parity will be granted in case to case basis and some may need to take some exams.

“These are exceptional cases for some difficult circumstances. Therefore the government will extend support. However degree parity will be done on case to case basis as all degrees may not be at par and some may need to take some exams. Like it happens in the case of medical degrees earned from countries like Ukraine or China.”

M Jagadesh Kumar, chairperson, UGC said: “UGC and AICTE issue such public notices in the interest of Indian students who would like to pursue their higher studies outside the country. In the recent past, we have seen how our students had to face difficulties because they could not go back to the foreign countries to continue their studies.”

However, apart from degree parity there are other issues identified by the government, including internal security, said a senior government source.

Advisory against travelling to China for education came after the Chinese government denying visas to India students already pursuing in Chinese universities.

“Apart from the parity issue which is technical, there are other issues including security issues which prompted such a move,” said the source.